Welcome to Sedu

contents
Welcome to South Ostrobothnia and Seinäjoki Vocational
Education Centre - Sedu ................................................................... 5
Facts about Finland and South Ostrobothnia ................................. 6
Discovering Finland .................................................................................. 6
South Ostrobothnia ................................................................................. 7
Travelling to and in Finland .................................................................... 8
Locations of the Sedu schools ................................................................ 9
Seinäjoki ............................................................................................................. 10
Ilmajoki ............................................................................................................... 12
Kauhajoki ............................................................................................................ 14
Jurva .................................................................................................................... 17
Ähtäri .................................................................................................................. 18
Vocational Education in the Finnish Educational System .......... 20
Vocational Education and Training in Finland .................................... 20
Overview of Seinäjoki Vocational Education Centre - Sedu ...... 23
Sedu, Seinäjoki Service Sector School ........................................................ 24
Sedu, Seinäjoki Vocational School .............................................................. 26
Sedu, School of Crafts, Design and Culture TAIKU ................................. 30
Sedu School of Agriculture and Forestry, Ilmajoki, Tuomarniemi ....... 32
Sedu, Kauhajoki School of Hospitality ....................................................... 34
Seinäjoki Vocational Education Centre, Adult Education ..................... 36
Seinäjoki Vocational Education Centre, Apprenticeship Training ....... 38
Adopt an open mind for cultural differences ............................... 41
Tips for Everyday Life ...................................................................... 42
Greeting ................................................................................................... 42
Finnish way to communicate ................................................................ 42
Humour .................................................................................................... 43
Be punctual ............................................................................................. 43
Visiting a Finnish home ......................................................................... 43
No Smoking ............................................................................................ 44
Sauna ....................................................................................................... 44
Going to a bank ...................................................................................... 44
Post office ............................................................................................... 45
Shopping ................................................................................................. 45
Mobile telephone and public phones ................................................... 45
Telephone calls ....................................................................................... 46
2
Welcome to SEDU
Queuing and tipping .............................................................................. 46
Travelling in Finland ............................................................................... 46
Newspapers, TV and Radio .................................................................... 47
Internet connections .............................................................................. 47
Sports as a hobby ................................................................................... 48
Cinema ..................................................................................................... 49
Art exhibitions ........................................................................................ 49
Churches .................................................................................................. 49
Concerts .................................................................................................. 49
Courses at the Civic College .................................................................. 50
Library services ....................................................................................... 50
Public libraries ........................................................................................ 51
Restaurants, pubs, cafés and discos ..................................................... 51
National Holidays ............................................................................ 52
Easter ....................................................................................................... 52
The First of May ..................................................................................... 53
Midsummer ............................................................................................. 53
Independence Day .................................................................................. 53
Christmas ................................................................................................. 54
Ascension Day ......................................................................................... 54
Accommodation and meals ............................................................. 55
Accomodation ......................................................................................... 55
Meals ....................................................................................................... 55
Health care and insurance .............................................................. 56
Private Doctor ......................................................................................... 56
Dentist ..................................................................................................... 56
Pharmacies .............................................................................................. 57
Permits and Formalities .................................................................. 58
Passport ................................................................................................... 58
Visa .......................................................................................................... 58
Residence Permit .................................................................................... 58
Work Permit ............................................................................................ 60
Vocabulary ........................................................................................ 61
Production Team .............................................................................. 62
3
4
Welcome to SEDU
einäjoki Vocational Education
Centre (Sedu) provides highquality professional basic education
and adult education, as well as runs
official apprenticeship programmes.
All the activities pursued are aimed
at serving, working and business life
in the whole of South Ostrobothnia.
to Sedu
S
Welcome
Welcome to South
Ostrobothnia and
Seinäjoki Vocational
Education Centre - Sedu
Seinäjoki Vocational Education
Centre provides up-to-date
methods, facilities and equipment
for the education of the youth – as well as more opportunities for young
people to direct their studies individually – even if the goal set were two
diplomas. Sedu has strong expertise in adult education, too. Also the
educational needs of business life are responded to more swiftly and in
a more customized way than before. Close cooperation with working
and business life forms the basis for all our education. All our education
leading to a diploma includes on-the-job learning. Moreover, the
development of new educational products is based on the needs of
working life.
Also internationalization is central to the operations of Sedu.
The students have an opportunity to participate in international projects
and on-the-job-learning periods aboard.
I welcome you to Seinäjoki and Seinäjoki Vocational Education Centre.
Reija Lepola
Director of Seinäjoki Vocational Education Centre
5
Facts about Finland and South Ostrobothnia
Discovering Finland
Y
6
ou have travelled from your
home country to Finland, a
northern country in Scandinavia,
but you won’t meet any polar
bears, and the mosquitoes that
pop up in the summer are not
dangerous, either. We are proud of
our country and our standard of
living. Finland is a small country
of some five million inhabitants
but large in area; the population
density is 17 inhabitants per
square kilometre. The Finns have a
lot of living space. We believe the
time you will spend in Finland will
be unforgettable. This impression
is shared by many of our former
exchange students, who have
been happy with the time their
stay here.
Stream, Finland’s climate is
temperate. Summer in Finland is
warm, bright and exhilarating.
Most importantly, the air in
Finland is fresh, clean, pure and
invigorating at all times of the
year. Due to low humidity,
Finland’s climate is actually not as
cold as temperature readings
might seem to indicate.
Owing to the vicinity of the
Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf
In southern and central Finland,
the snow usually settles at the
Around midsummer, in northern
Finland the sun does not set for
several weeks. In Lapland this
“longest summer day” lasts for
over two months. Even in more
southern areas, it does not get
dark at all at night, the days being
separated by a couple of hours of
twilight.
Welcome to SEDU
Facts
South Ostrobothnia
The region of South Ostrobothnia,
located in Western Finland, is a
Finnish-speaking area with
200 000 inhabitants. South
Ostrobothnia is well known for its
thriving food production,
processing and marketing, wood
and metal industries, as well as
service production.
Entrepreneurship and SME’s are
strongly supported by education
and research; a good example of
this is the EPANET co-operation
network of Finnish universities in
South Ostrobothnia.
The city of Seinäjoki is the lively
centre of South Ostrobothnia and
has about 36 000 inhabitants.
This part of Finland is well known
as a wealthy region with a lot of
private enterprises, which can be
seen in the wide fields and high
number of entrepreneurs in the
towns and in the countryside. The
supply of culture and sports is
wide.
about Finland and South Ostrobothnia
beginning of December and melts
in mid or late April, and in
northern Finland the snow settles
around five weeks earlier and
melts about three weeks later
than in the south.
Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis)
are a light phenomenon visible in
the sky in Lapland on clear, dark
nights. They can sometimes be
seen also in the southern part of
Finland.
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Travelling to and in Finland
Flight connections to Finland’s
capital Helsinki are excellent from
all parts of Europe, as well as from
overseas. Helsinki is only three
hours from Paris, London and
Brussels, eight hours from New
York and
ten from
Tokyo,
respectively.
Helsinki is
also easy to
reach by
boat from
Stockholm,
Rostock
and Tallinn,
and by
train from
Moscow
and St
Petersburg.
Furthermore,
Seinäjoki and the surrounding
areas are very easy to get to. The
quickest way from abroad is to fly
first to Helsinki and from there
direct to Seinäjoki. The flight from
Helsinki to Seinäjoki takes less
than one hour. It is also possible
to take a train from Helsinki
Railway Station. It takes a little
over three hours to get to Seinäjoki from Helsinki
8
Should you get tired of the
Ostrobothnian plain, it is easy to
make trips to other regions in
Finland from here. Don’t fail to
benefit from our good train
services, which link us to the
north and
the south.
It is not a
long way
to St
Petersburg
in Russia,
either, or
to Tallinn,
the capital
of the
Republic
of Estonia.
There are
good ferry
connections
between
Helsinki
and Tallinn. You can also easily
make a one-day-trip to Umeå,
Sweden. When planning your
trips, never forget Finnish Lapland,
no matter if it is summer or
winter. In the autumn, you will
find Lappish nature glowing
magnificently with autumn
colours.
Welcome to SEDU
Locations
of the Sedu schools
Locations of the Sedu schools
The schools of Seinäjoki Vocational Education Centre are located in the
following South Ostrobothnian municipalities: Seinäjoki, Ilmajoki, Jurva,
Kauhajoki and Ähtäri.
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Seinäjoki
S
einäjoki is a
youthful city with
a young population,
because the area
provides a lot of
secondary and higher
level education. Also,
the full cultural
spectrum is
highlighted in Seinäjoki: theatre,
concerts, plays.
There are a lot of
cultural and
sports
events
going on in Seinäjoki with the
motto “something for everyone”.
Seinäjoki Science Park, TRIANO, is
the rapidly growing centre for the
development of South
Ostrobothnia and a node in
networks.
Its physical core is made up of
three complexes of buildings: the
Foodwest building in the northern
part of the city, the Mediwest
Health Technology Centre next to
the Seinäjoki Central Hospital, as
10
well as the
FRAMI
Technology
Centre which will
include a Business
Park that is
currently being
built on the river
bank opposite the
Campus Area.
The easiest way of
finding out about the
history of Seinäjoki
and our region is to
visit the Regional
Museum of South
Ostrobothnia, in Törnävä.
Among other things,
traditional peasant and popular
life is exhibited in the museum.
In the area, you can visit the
Peasant Museum, the Gunpowder
Museum (“Ruutimuseo”), an old
windmill, a blacksmith’s shop and
many other interesting historical
buildings. The Törnävän puisto
park, which surrounds the
museum area, is beautiful
throughout the year. There is also
a nice beach in the park area.
South Ostrobothnia is the region
where the world-famous architect
Alvar Aalto was born and spent
the early years of his life. Seinäjoki is famous for the church of
Lakeuden Risti designed by Aalto
and for the administrative and
Welcome to SEDU
Seinäjoki was named after the
river passing through the city. A
cruise on the river provides a
unique way to get to know the
city and to view the riverside
scenery.
About 85 per cent of the Finnish
citizens belong to the Lutheran
church and therefore there is one
in Seinäjoki, too. In Seinäjoki,
there are two churches, of which
the Törnävä church, erected in
1827, is of historical value. The
Lakeuden Risti church (‘Cross of
the Plains’) was erected in 1960.
Seinäjoki
By contrast, the Tango Festival in
Seinäjoki takes place in July. At
the festival, the King and Queen
of Tango for the year are crowned
after a hard trial. For this
five-day-long event,
part of the Kirkkokatu street
turns
into
a tango street, in which people
dance night and day. The number
of visitors is evidence of the
importance of tango for the Finns.
The event gathers as many as
100,000 people to Seinäjoki.
facts
cultural centre built around it.
This area, the Aalto Centre, was
built between 1957 and 1987. As
a whole, the Aalto Centre is an
internationally renowned
destination for visiting architects
and other experts in the field of
construction. The most important
event in Seinäjoki for young
people is the three-day-long rock
festival Provinssirock in June. The
festival is attended by several
international and Finnish top
artists and there are always about
20 000 people enjoying the music
and atmosphere. Provinssirock
takes place in the park area in
Törnävä.
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Ilmajoki
I
lmajoki is situated 16 km from
the City of Seinäjoki. Ilmajoki, a
strong municipality and rich in
tradition, is located in the middle
of the Ostrobothnian plain. The
landscape is characterized by
low, fertile fields with barns. The
plain is crossed by the Kyrönjoki
river with its fertile riversides,
which are in intensive farming.
The population of Ilmajoki is
12,000, its area being 609 km2.
About 15 per cent of the working
inhabitants earn their living from
primary production (agriculture
and forestry) and about 20 per
cent from secondary production
(industry and construction).
More than half of the
inhabitants earn their
living from private
or public
services.
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The nearest cities are Seinäjoki
(16 km) and Vaasa (75 km),
with several bus
connections every day. The
nearest railway station is
in Seinäjoki and the
nearest airports are in
Seinäjoki and Vaasa.
Ilmajoki provides
various recreational
and hobby
facilities. The
municipality is
widely
known
Welcome
Welcome totoSEDU
SEDU
facts
Ilmajoki
facts
for its culture
and music
festival
(e.g. Ilmajoki
Music Festival). The
folk operas of the
festival are
implemented as a
joint effort by music
professionals and local
volunteers. In Ilmajoki,
there are a lot of
amateur actors as well as
various choirs and
orchestras. Those who exercise
have several sports facilities at
their disposal (public swimming
pool, gyms and sports tracks,
illuminated skiing tracks, sports halls,
and sports fields). The Civic College
provides courses ranging from silver forging
to sail planing. In addition, the active student
association arranges other kinds of leisure
activities such as excursions and sports, etc.
Seinäj
13
Kauhajoki
K
auhajoki is the service
and industrial centre of
the southernmost part of
South Ostrobothnia, where agriculture
also plays an important role. South
Ostrobothnian rustic culture and
modern service and information society
meet here. The commercial and
administrative services of the southern
part of the region are concentrated in
Kauhajoki. By area, Kauhajoki is the
largest municipality of South
Ostrobothnia and counts about
16,000 inhabitants. It is located
58 km from Seinäjoki, 100 from
Vaasa, and 160 from Tampere. There
are direct bus connections with all the
nearby towns every day. The fastest
connections from Southern Finland, e.g.
Helsinki, are by train via Seinäjoki and from
there by bus.
Colourful events such as Kauhajoki Food Fair
and Nummirock festival attract thousands of
visitors to Kauhajoki annually. The Food Fair
is of particular importance to the school
because it was the initiator of this big
event. In Kauhajoki, there are also sights
related to Ostrobothnian rural culture and
Finnish history. Various sports events add
spice to life in Kauhajoki. Several sports and
hobby clubs are active arranging different
events at the national and even international level.
Samba-cross competitions, arranged every summer,
are popular, too. These events combine Rally Cross
and a samba carnival ”in the genuine Ostrobothnian
way”.
14
Welcome
Welcome to
to SEDU
SEDU
Kauhajoki
facts
Kauhajoki has a vigorous music
tradition and amateur theatre
activity. Music lessons are provided
by the Panula Institute, the Civic
College, and the Pop-Jazz Department
of Kauhajoki Evangelical Folk High
School. Kauhajoki Civic College offers
interesting activities to all active people
without age limits and at a low cost. The
library services are also diversified.
facts
In addition to its extensive and
rich nature, Kauhajoki has a
wide range of facilities for
exercise. You can exercise in
many ways, ranging from golf to
bowling and downhill skiing. In
the vicinity of the centre of
Kauhajoki, you find the large
Sotka outdoor recreational
area with an illuminated
running/skiing track, ski
slopes, ski and biathlon
stadium, motor sports
area, rifle range and
Sotkanpesä summer
theatre. In the immediate
vicinity of Kauhajoki School
of Hospitality, there is a
sports centre with a
swimming pool. In addition to
swimming, you can bowl,
exercise in a gym, play squash,
tennis and indoor bandy and
practice shooting there.
Seinäj
15
16
Welcome to SEDU
J
(elementary school) or in the
indoor sports facilities of the
School of Crafts, Design and
Culture. Close to the school, there
is a running track, where you can
ski in the winter. Next to the
running track, you find the
Säläisjärvi lake with its public
swimming facilities. On the
camping ground, there is also a
sauna that anyone can rent for
their private use. In the winter,
you can even try winter
swimming.
The Rantala riding farm is
an interesting place for
horse enthusiasts. Next to
the farm, there is a motor
racing track and a rifle
range (Botniaring,
Olympiatrap). At the Civic
College, you can go in for
a wide range of hobbies:
language studies, dance
and music, art subjects
ranging from restoration
to bookbinding, etc. Jurva
has two drama clubs
offering performances to
the public. Art lovers can visit
exhibitions in the local library
throughout the year. The TAIKU
School of Crafts, Design and
Culture exhibits its activities at its
annual spring exhibition which is
open for all public.
Jurva
urva is a municipality of about
5,000 inhabitants 55 km from
Seinäjoki. Jurva is famous for its
furniture industry: most of the
Finnish period furniture is made
there. In the municipality, there
are dozens of furniture
manufactures employing a total of
about 500 people. The fine Centre
of Expertise on Furniture, Nikkarikeskus, stands for the future
development and research for
furniture industry in Finland.
Nikkarikeskus is located in
connection with
the School of
Design and the
TAIKU School of
Crafts, Design and
Culture in Jurva.
The municipality
provides a range of
public services
such as a health
centre with
medical and dental
services, as well as
police, postal and
bank services. In
the municipality, there are also
various private services available,
such as shops, hotels and
restaurants. There is a wide range
of recreational facilities available.
You can exercise in the gym
located at Kirkonkylän ala-aste
facts
Jurva
17
Ähtäri
Ä
htäri is located in the eastern
part of South Ostrobothnia, 80
km from the City of Seinäjoki. Its
population is about 7,000 and its
total area is 906 km². It is
surrounded by lakes and large
forest wilderness areas.
The townscape of the centre of
Ähtäri is very clear. Almost all
basic services can be found on the
main street of the town.
Supermarkets, special shops,
the post office,
18
banks, and restaurants have a very
central position on Ostolantie
street. The hospital and the health
centre are situated a bit apart, but
following the informative
signposts, you should find them
without problems. At the health
centre, there is a doctor on duty,
as well as a dental clinic.
In Ähtäri you can enjoy visiting
the natural wildlife park which is
the first of its kind in Finland and
Welcome to SEDU
facts
Ähtäri has very developed hiking
and skiing route networks as well
as snowmobile routes. There is a
spa and a swimming pool at Hotel
Mesikämmen. The Mustikkavuori
sports centre provides many
opportunities for sports activities
(skiing, shooting, baseball, Nordic
walking, ice skating, ice hockey
etc.). The evening courses of
Ähtäri Civic College provide
various opportunities to study and
participate in leisure activities.
Ähtäri
established in 1973. At present,
Ähtäri Zoo houses 65 animal
species, most of which come from
the coniferous forest zone.
facts
Seinäj
19
Vocational Education in the Finnish Educational
System
Vocational Education and
Training in Finland
I
nitial vocational education is
arranged both in educational
institutions and in the form of
apprenticeship
training. Apprenticeship training
means that the education
provider, the employer and the
employee enter into a fixed-term
20
employment agreement on the
training. It is also possible to take
a qualification in the form of a
skills demonstration, whereby
students can demonstrate through
a practical test that they
command the skills and
knowledge required for a given
occupation.
There are 52
initial
vocational
qualifications
including the
following
sectors:
natural
resources;
technology
and transport;
business and
administration;
tourism,
catering and
home
economics;
health and
social
services;
culture;
leisure and
Welcome to SEDU
facts
The Finnish Educational System
physical education. The purpose
of vocational education is to give
students the vocational skills they
will need in working life and the
skills required to earn a living on a
self-employed basis. Completing
the vocational qualification takes
3 years and all the qualifications
grant eligibility for further studies:
the graduates can apply for
admission to polytechnics or
universities. Vocational
qualifications are built on the
comprehensive school curriculum.
Matriculated students can also
opt for initial vocational
education and training; their
studies are shorter owing to credit
transfer.
The programmes consist of 120
credit units (1 credit unit = 40
hours’ work), of which 90 credit
units are made up of vocational
studies, 20 credit units of general
studies and 10 credit units of
free-choice studies. The common
subjects required in all vocational
studies are: the mother tongue,
the second national language, a
foreign language, mathematics,
physics and chemistry, physical
and health education, social
studies, entrepreneurship and
workplace studies, and arts and
cultural studies. The qualification
also includes a diploma project.
All the qualifications include at
least 20 credit units of on-the-job
21
learning. On-the-job learning is
guided, focused and assessed
training in accordance with the
educational objectives determined
in the curriculum. The training
instructions are planned and
implemented co-operatively by
the educational institutions and
the employers. The educational
institution must
ensure that a
written contract
is made between
the institution
and the
workplace as
required by the
law. The
objectives,
learning
assignments,
duration and the
timing of each
on-the-job
learning period and the
procedures for student assessment
are determined by a joint study
plan signed by the student and by
the representatives of the school
(supervising teacher) and the
workplace (job instructor).
To guarantee the quality of
vocational education, skills
demonstrations are integrated
into all vocational qualifications.
The student demonstrates how
well he or she has achieved the
objectives of the vocational
22
studies and the skills required in
working life.
Vocational education and training
is co-financed by the government
and the local authorities. Initial
vocational education is arranged
by the municipalities, joint
municipal boards and private
organizations. Teaching and meals
are free for the
students.
However, the
students do pay
for their
textbooks and
other material. At
school, the
students have an
obligation to be
present and they
are expected to
be punctual and
active in their
studies and
search for information.
Adults already active in the labour
market can demonstrate their
knowledge and skills in
competence-based tests and
thereby gain basic vocational,
further vocational or specialist
vocational qualifications.
Preparatory training is available in
vocational institutions and in
apprenticeship training.
Vocational institutions also
provide continuing training geared
to upgrade knowledge and skills in
response to the needs of the
labour market.
Welcome to SEDU
T
Seinäjoki Vocational
Education Centre
provides studies
leading to a total of
24 vocational
qualifications, in a total of 44 study programmes. Under the umbrella of
Sedu, you find professional know-how for all the educational fields.
Diversified adult education increases our educational supply further.
Sedu
he total number of
students at Sedu is
about 4,200, of whom
1,500 are adults. Sedu
has some 250 teachers
and some 150 other
staff.
facts
Overview of Seinäjoki Vocational Education Centre Sedu
All the institutions of Sedu belong to the Senuko Youth Education
Network.
Senuko is a cooperation network between institutions of secondary
education in South Ostrobothnia, comprising a total of 12 institutions,
of which six are upper secondary schools and six vocational schools,
respectively. The objective of Senuko is to diversify the students’ study
opportunities by allowing them to choose courses at the other schools
in the network. The student can choose only one course or even study
for two diplomas at the same time.
The students of Seinäjoki Vocational Education Centre have the
opportunity to study entrepreneurship through the Young Enterprise
activities, to get a feeling for working life through on-the-job learning
periods, as well as to direct their studies towards an international
operational environment.
Together with Seinäjoki Polytechnic, Sedu forms Seinäjoki Joint
Municipal Authority for Education.
23
Sedu, Seinäjoki Service
Sector School
E
ducation and training at Sedu,
Seinäjoki Service Sector School
is provided in three different
locations in Seinäjoki. In Koulukatu, you can
get a vocational
qualification
either in
Business and
Administration
or in Business
Information
Technology. In
Koskenalantie,
students can choose Practical
Nursing studies. The duration of
the studies is 3 years for students
having completed the 9-year-long
comprehensive education and 2
years if the student has completed
the matriculation examination. In
addition, the school provides
vocational adult education and
other training courses aimed
at the needs of working
life. Adult education is
provided in Koulukatu
and Koskenalantie, as
well as in Rastaantaival.
24
The institution allows the students
to obtain two vocational
qualifications (e.g. clothingbusiness) in a flexible way.
International activities are
lively and the students have
the opportunity to take
courses taught in English in
the Business Studies
module. Entrepreneurship is
part of the studies and
every year many students
take part of their studies in
the Young Enterprise
programme. The school also allows
the students to take courses
taught virtually, and cooperation
in the network increases their
study options.
Welcome to SEDU
Study programme in Information Technology Services and Marketing
·
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·
·
Study Programme in Customer Services and Marketing
Study Programme in Business Administration
Study Programme in Information and Library Services
Study Programme in Office Services and Information Management
·
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Study Programme in Emergency Care
Study Programme in Rehabilitation
Study Programme in Child and Youth Care and Education
Study Programme in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Welfare Work
Study Programme in Nursing and Care
Study Programme in Care for the Disabled
Study Programme in Care for the Elderly
Study Programme in Customer Services and Information Management
Vocational Qualification in Business and Administration
Vocational Qualification in Social and Health Care (Practical Nurse)
facts
·
Seinäjoki Service Sector School
Vocational Qualifications and study programmes:
Vocational Qualification in Business Information Technology
facts
Location: Seinäjoki
Number of students: 1300
Number of teaching/training staff: 100
Contact information:
Sedu, Seinäjoki Service Sector School
Business Studies
Koulukatu 41, 60100 Seinäjoki
Tel: +358 201245507, Fax: +358 201245509
Social and Health Care
Koskenalantie 17, 60220 Seinäjoki
Tel: +358 20124 5550, Fax: +358 201245555
Adult Education
Rastaantaival 2, 60200 Seinäjoki
Tel:+358 20124 4500, Fax: +358 20124 4501
Seinäj
25
Sedu, Seinäjoki
Vocational School
S
einäjoki Vocational School of
Seduoperates in four different
affiliations, all with up-to-date
facilities. The fields of studies at
Seinäjoki Vocational School are:
Hotel, Catering and Home
Economics; Food Industry;
Vehicles and Transportation;
Beauty care; Machinery and Metal
Technology; Heating and
Ventilation Technology; Surface
Treatment; Wood Industry;
Electrical Engineering; Textiles and
Clothing; Laboratory Technology
26
and Construction. The duration of
the studies is 3 years for students
having completed the 9-year-long
comprehensive education and 2
years if the student has completed
the matriculation
examination. All the
vocational
qualifications include
at least 6 months of
on-the-job learning
during the 3 years of
studies.
Adult education is
implemented mainly
in the facilities of the
former Adult
Education Centre, in
Rastaantaival.
Welcome to SEDU
·
facts
Vocational Qualifications and
study programmes:
Vocational Qualification in Building Maintenance Technology
Study Programme in Heating,
Plumbing and Ventilation
Engineering (Heating, Plumbing
and Ventilation Fitter)
·
·
Study Programme in Construction
(Builder)
Study Programme in Earthmover
Operations (Earthmover Operator)
Vocational Qualification in Wood
Processing
·
Study Programme in Joinery
(Joiner)
Vocational Qualification in
Surface Treatment Technology
·
Study Programme in Painting
(Painter)
Vocational Qualification in
Laboratory Technology
·
Study programme in Laboratory
Technology (Laboratory
Technician)
Vocational Qualification in
Metalwork and Machinery
·
Study Programme in
Manufacturing Technology
(Machinist; Plater-welder)
Vocational Qualification in
Electrical Engineering
·
·
·
Study Programme in Automation
Technology and Maintenance
(Automation Assembler)
Study Programme in Electronics
and Telecommunications
Technology (Electronics
Assembler)
Study Programme in
Electrical Engineering and
Energy Technology (
Electrician)
Seinäjoki vocational school
Vocational Qualification in
Construction
Vocational Qualification in Food
Production
·
·
·
Study Programme in Food
Technology (Foods Maker)
Study Programme in Baking
(Baker-confectioner)
Study Programme in Meat
Processing (Meat Products
Processor)
27
Vocational Qualification in
Catering
·
·
Study Programme in
Catering and Customer
Services (Service
Organiser)
Study Programme in
Institutional Meal
Production (Cook,
Institutional Catering)
Vocational Qualification in Hotel
and Restaurant Services
·
Study Programme in Restaurant
Meal Production (Restaurant
Cook)
Vocational Qualification in
Household and Consumer Services
·
Vocational Qualification in
Clothing
·
Study Programme in Dressmaking
(Dressmaker)
Vocational Qualification in Vehicle
Technology
·
·
Study Programme in
Vehicle Body Repairs
(Vehicle Body Repairer)
Study Programme in
Vehicle Technology
(Vehicle Mechanic)
Vocational Qualification in
Logistics
·
Study Programme in
Transportation Services
(Driver)
Vocational Qualification in
Hairdressing
·
28
Study Programme in
Hairdressing
(Hairdresser)
Study Programme in Household
Services (Household Services
Entrepreneur)
Vocational Qualification in
Cleaning Services
·
Study Programme in Cleaning
Services (Site Facilities Operator)
Studies in Home Economics 20
credits
Welcome
Welcome totoSEDU
SEDU
Törnävä Branch
Törnäväntie 24
PL 313
60101 Seinäjoki
Tel: +358 20124 5000
Fax: +358 20124 4888
Kotitalous Branch
Upankatu 4
PL 313
60101 Seinäjoki
Tel: +358 20124 5000
Adult Education
Rastaantaival 2
60200 Seinäjoki
Tel: +358 20124 4500
Fax: +358 20124 4501
Seinäjoki vocational school
Contact information:
Sedu, Seinäjoki Vocational School
Keskusta Branch
Kirkkokatu 10
PL 313
60101 Seinäjoki
Tel: +358 20124 5000
Fax: +358 20124 4600
facts
Location: Seinäjoki
Number of students: 1500
Number of teaching/training
Staff: 113
29
Sedu, School of Crafts,
Design and Culture TAIKU
T
he School of Crafts, Design and
Culture, TAIKU, is situated in
two localities, in Ilmajoki and
Jurva. At TAIKU, you can study the
field of crafts and design in both
localities and
become an
Artisan. After
finishing their
studies, Artisans
can work as
entrepreneurs,
self-employed
persons, in
guidance and
service tasks or
in small-scale
industry. Furthermore, in Jurva, it
is possible to study media and
visual arts, and, having graduated,
the students can work in graphic
design and development as
employees, members of
production teams or as selfemployed persons.
The extent of the study
programmes is 120 credits, which
corresponds to three years of
study. The programmes allow the
students to develop in a
diversified way their manual skills,
design and manufacturing skills,
as well as their aesthetic, visual
30
and cultural know-how. Moreover,
the students have excellent
opportunities to build individual
study paths through a cooperation
network of schools. They can
study for two
qualifications at
the same time,
e.g. the
vocational
qualification of
Artisan and the
Matriculation
Examination.
The school also
provides excellent
opportunities for
internationalization through its
numerous foreign partners.
Also adult education is part and
parcel of the educational supply
of the school. Having obtained a
professional qualification, the
students have the opportunity to
later on deepen their studies
through adult qualifications or to
continue their studies, on the
basis of general eligibility to
further studies, to higher
education.
Welcome to SEDU
facts
·
·
Study Programme in Handicraft
Design and Production (wood
processing, conservation, metal
industry)
Study Programme in Textiles and
Clothing Design and Production
(textiles, clothing)
Study Programme in
Environmental Design and
Construction (interior
construction, painting)
Vocational Qualification in Visual
Expression (media and visual arts)
·
Study Programme in Visual
Expression (graphic design)
Location: Ilmajoki and Jurva
Number of students: 300
Number of teaching/training
staff: 35
Contact information:
Sedu, TAIKU, Ilmajoki
Pappilantie 6,
60800 Ilmajoki - Finland
Tel: +358 20124 4660
Fax: +358 20124 4661
Sedu, TAIKU, Jurva
Kotikouluntie 4,
66300 Jurva - Finland
Tel: +358 20124 5900
Fax: +358 20124 5901
- School of Crafts, Design and Culture
·
TAIKU
Vocational Qualifications and
study programmes:
Vocational Qualification in Crafts
and Design (Artisan)
31
Sedu School of
Agriculture and Forestry,
Ilmajoki, Tuomarniemi
E
ducation and training at the
School of Agriculture and
Forestry is provided in two
different
locations,
in Ilmajoki
and in
Ähtäri,
Tuomarniemi. In
Ilmajoki,
you can
obtain a
vocational
qualification
in Agriculture (Rural Entrepreneurship)
and, respectively, in Tuomarniemi,
a vocational qualification in
Forestry (Forest Worker, Forest
32
Ecosystem worker, Forest Machine
operator). The duration of the
studies is 3 years for students
having
completed the
9-year-long
comprehensive
education and
2 years if the
student has
completed the
matriculation
examination.
In addition,
the school has
adult
education and other training
courses aimed at the needs of
working life.
Welcome to SEDU
·
Study Programme in Agriculture (Rural Entrepreneur)
·
·
Study Programme in Forestry (Forest Worker)
Study Programme in the Multiple Use of Forests (Forest Ecosystem Worker)
Vocational Qualification in Forestry
Contact information:
Ilmajoki
Sedu, School of Agriculture and Forestry
Ilmajoentie 525
60800 Ilmajoki
Tel: +358 20124 5700
Fax: +358 20124 5701
Ähtäri
Sedu, School of Agriculture and Forestry
Tuomarniementie 55
63700 Ähtäri
Tel: +358 20124 5800
Fax: +358 20124 5801
School of Agriculture and Foresrtry
Locations: Ilmajoki and Ähtäri
Number of students: 260
Number of teaching/training staff: 27
facts
Vocational Qualifications and study programmes:
Vocational Qualification in Agriculture
33
Sedu, Kauhajoki School
of Hospitality
K
auhajoki School of Hospitality,
situated in the centre of
Kauhajoki, is a modern and
diversified institution. The school
is located in the same building as
Seinäjoki Polytechnic, School of
Food Management; so there are
excellent opportunities for further
education after the School
qualifications.
In Kauhajoki School of
Hospitality, the
students can choose
between Catering
studies (Institutional
Cook), Tourism Studies
(Tourism Activities or
Tourism Sales and
Information Services),
Practical Nursing
Studies (Practical
Nurse) and Home
Economics Studies
(short course).
The duration of the
studies is 3 years for
students having
completed the 9-year-long
comprehensive education and 2
years if the student has completed
34
the matriculation
examination. In
addition the school
has adult education
and other training
courses tailored for
the needs of working
life. The school has
about 200 students
and about 40
teachers and o
ther employees
altogether.
The students live in
nice, modern
student flats just
beside the school.
Living and lunch are
free from charge for
the students.
Welcome to SEDU
·
·
facts
Vocational Qualifications and
study programmes:
Vocational Qualification in the
Tourism Industry
Vocational Qualification in
Catering
·
Study Programme in Institutional
Meal Production (Cook,
Institutional Catering)
Vocational Qualification in Social
and Health Care (Practical Nurse)
·
·
·
Study Programme in Child and
Youth Care and Education
Study Programme in Nursing and
Care
Study Programme in Care for the
Elderly
Studies in Home Economics 20
credits
Facts:
Location: Kauhajoki
Number of students: 200
Number of teaching/training
staff: 21
Contact information:
Sedu, Kauhajoki School of
Hospitality
Topeeka 47, 61801 Kauhajoki
Tel: +358 20124 5600
Fax: +358 20124 5601
Kauhajoki School of Hospitality
Study Programme in Tourism
Activities (Tourism Activities
Organiser)
Study Programme in Tourism Sales
and Information Services (Travel
Counsellor)
35
Seinäjoki Vocational
Education Centre, Adult
Education
A
dult education is provided
in the different constituent
schools of Sedu and in the branch
of adult education in Rastaantaival, which used to be Seinäjoki
Adult Education Centre. Now it is
part of Seinäjoki Vocational
Education Centre and,
administratively, has been divided
between Seinäjoki Vocational
School and Seinäjoki Service
Sector School.
Seinäjoki Vocational Education
Centre, Adult Education, provides
diversified opportunities
for adult learning. Our
educational supply
includes dozens of
different vocational and
specialist vocational
qualifications, which
are obtained in the
form of demonstration
examinations. In
addition, our supply
includes numerous
short courses, suited as
both basic and further
training. The students have plenty
of opportunities to choose a form
of education suited to their life
situations, because most studies
can be completed in the daytime,
36
in the evenings, as network-based
learning or as a combination of
these.
At the beginning of their studies,
the students receive their personal
curricula, which act as maps
leading to the goals of the
training. When making it, the
student’s previous know-how achieved through his or her
previous studies, in working life or
hobbies - is taken into account.
New knowledge is always
constructed based on what the
student has learnt before, and in
the teaching, the student is
always seen as an active
constructor of knowledge and as
learning through his or her own
Welcome to SEDU
Adult Education
Contact information:
Sedu, Adult Education
Rastaantaival 2
60220 SEINÄJOKI
Tel: 020 124 4504
Fax: 020 124 4501
facts
experiences. Adult education is
also informed by its working life
orientation, aimed at improving
the students’ ability to respond to
professional skills requirements
set by changing working life.
37
Seinäjoki Vocational
Education Centre,
Apprenticeship Training
S
einäjoki Vocational
Education Centre,
Apprenticeship Training, acts
within Seinäjoki Joint Municipal
Authority for Education. Its
partner institutions are South
Ostrobothnia
College,
Kuortane
Sports Institute and Alavus
Special
Vocational
School.
The objective
of apprenticeship
training is
that the
student
achieves good
professional skills and obtains a
vocational or a specialist
vocational qualification. It also
provides good opportunities for
38
vocational further training for
permanent employees as well as
for the training of new employees.
Apprenticeship training is based
on an employment (fixed-term)
and on a personal curriculum.
The apprentice must find
himself the employer
willing to start training
him. Likewise, the
employer must find
himself the student he
wants to train. To do this,
both can utilise the
services of the labour
office. The duration of
apprenticeship training
ranges from 4 months to
4 years. In basic
vocational qualifications,
the duration of the
studies ranges from 1 to
4 years, in further vocational and
specialist vocational qualifications
from 6 to 24 months. The student
can earn either the entire
Welcome to SEDU
The diploma is obtained through a skills demonstration test defrayed by
Sedu, Apprenticeship Training (if the student must retake the test or part
of it, he must defray the costs in question).
Entrepreneurs can receive apprenticeship training in their own
enterprises. The apprenticeship contract for an entrepreneur is based on a
training contract between the organiser of the training and the
entrepreneur.
Apprenticeship Training
On-the–job training
is complemented by
theoretical training
financed by Sedu,
Apprenticeship
Training (the student
purchases the study
material and
literature him or
herself as well as
pays the fee of the
skills demonstration
test.)
facts
qualification or part of it. During the period of employment, the employer
pays the student wages according to the collective labour contract,
accumulated leave (also during theoretical training) as well as the other
advantages specified in the collective labour contract of the field.
Location: Seinäjoki
Contact information:
Sedu, Apprenticeship Training
Ammattikoulunkatu 3A-B, 60100
Seinäjoki
Tel: +358 20124 4706
Fax: +358 20124 4702
39
40
Welcome to SEDU
iving in a foreign country
demands adaptation and
open-mindedness. Adopt an open
and adaptable mind. Try to look at
your own country from the right
perspective, too. In the world,
there are hundreds
of other “home
countries” and yours
is not necessarily
the “only right one”.
We don’t necessarily
know everything
about your home
country and the
customs of your
own culture, and
you must accept
that.
You may suffer from
cultural shock if you
find it tiresome to
encounter strange and different
things all the time. You notice you
are behaving in a strange way or
feeling nervous. You don’t have
any strength to do anything,
cannot talk to the local people or
exotic Finland feels strange all of
a sudden. At first, don’t stay alone
but get involved with people. Talk
openly about your feelings with
your reliable friends. If you
haven’t made
friends in your host
country yet, contact
the personnel of
your faculty. They
will surely help you.
Don’t give up but
try to get on and
overcome the
difficulties. Write to
your friends and
family. If you feel
homesick, accept it
and do something
about it. Send
photos of your life
in Seinäjoki and
share your experiences with your
friends and relatives at home.
Your interest in Finland and your
activity in hobbies and social life
will help you get along.
Cultural Differences
L
facts
Adopt an open mind for
cultural differences
41
Tips for Everyday Life
Greeting
W
hen you meet a Finnish
person for the first time,
they usually introduce themselves,
shake your hand and look right
into your eyes. In Finnish society,
looking into each other’s eyes
means honesty. However, the
young people don’t always shake
hands but greet each other by
nodding and saying “hei” or “moi”.
If you kiss a Finn on their cheeks,
he or she may be scared. A
Finnish greeting is not
accompanied by chat like “nice to
see you” or “it’s nice weather, isn’t
it”, etc. The fact that we don’t talk
a lot is part of our social culture
and should not be regarded as
impolite. Moreover, the Finnish
language lacks long phrases and
fixed expressions of politeness
typical of many other languages,
e.g. English.
Finnish way to communicate
When a Finn is talking, he/she
does not like to be interrupted.
The typical pattern for a Finnish
conversation is that one person
42
first finishes what he or she is
saying, and after that his/her
interlocutor carries on the
conversation in a lag of two
seconds.
Formal address can be applied if
you are talking to somebody very
much older than you, but
otherwise it is seldom used. The
common use of first names when
addressing someone belongs to
Scandinavian culture. Note that in
Finnish the personal pronoun ‘hän’
is used to refer to both males and
females (= he/she).
Welcome to SEDU
Humour
Tips
Finns have a great sense of
humour, although many of
the jokes relate to the
Finnish language, love and
hate relationships between
two neighbouring towns and,
of course, blondes.
Both during their spare time
and at work, the Finns are
strict about time. Arrive at an
appointment rather five minutes
before the agreed time than five
minutes late. Observe the agreed
times!
Visiting a Finnish home
If a Finn invites you to his/her
home and gives you his/her
address, that person really does
want you to come over. The Finns
don’t use
small talk
in the same
way as
many other
peoples do,
so if you
are invited,
you had
better go
for a visit.
Even if you
visit someone for the first time,
you are not expected to bring
along any present, unless you
visit your friend’s parents. The
most common small gift on such
occasions may be a packet of
coffee or biscuits, or a reasonably
priced bunch of flowers. During a
visit, the Finns normally offer their
guests coffee or tea with some
homemade pastry. Pulla (baked
roll) is the most popular delicacy
in Finland. It is made of sweeter
and spicier dough than ordinary
Finnish bread.
When visiting somebody, you are
supposed to take
off your outdoor
shoes once you
arrive in the
lobby. The Finns
don’t walk inside
wearing outdoor
shoes; instead,
they wear just
stockings.
Important family
events, during
which people wear dark and highhealed shoes, form the only
exception to this general rule.
for everydaylife
Be punctual
43
No Smoking
Smoking is normally not allowed
inside, and Finland has some of
the strictest regulations against
smoking. Therefore, always
remember to check if there is a
sign ‘Tupakointi kielletty’, which
means ‘No smoking’
Sauna
Sauna is an essential part of
Finnish culture. It is absolutely
worth trying. Originally, sauna was
not only a place to bath but also a
place where children were born
and sick
people
cared for.
It is not
customary
for men
and
women
to share a
sauna
together
unless
they are
family
members. Most homes have their
own saunas, even in blocks of
flats. If a Finnish person invites
you to a sauna, it means that he/
she has accepted you as a friend.
For the Finns, being naked in a
sauna is natural, but they will
understand if you want to come
there covered with a towel or
44
swimming suit. In the summer, a
dip in a lake or a river and in the
winter, a dip in the hole of an icy
river or lake or a roll in snow
belongs to bathing habits! You
can also use the bath whisk (vihta
or vasta) if you please. It has been
made of tender birch twigs. It
feels best with adequate humidity
and temperature. And a cold beer
is refreshing after a sauna.
Going to a bank
The main banks in Finland are
Osuuspankki, Nordea, POP, Sampo
and Handelsbanken. The
banks are
open on
weekdays
usually from
9.30 a.m. to
4.30 p.m. On
Saturdays,
they are
closed. The
easiest way of
taking care of
your bank
business is to open a bank
account. It does not cost anything
and at the same time you will get
a cash card. You can also ask for a
service package entitling you to
pay your bills and to make your
giro transfers at an on-line
banking terminal. You can change
money in banks, which charge you
Welcome to SEDU
The main post office is located at
the railway station in Seinäjoki
and it is open on weekdays from
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The most
common postage for a
letter or a card to Europe is
about 70 cents. Post to
Europe is always sent by air
mail, so you won’t need any
‘By Airmail’ labels. You can
also buy stamps at the pay
desk of school cafeterias
and at all R-kiosks.
Mailboxes are yellow and
they are emptied at about
4.00 p.m. After that, all
items to be sent during the
same day must be taken to the
post office.
You can pay for your shopping
either in cash or by credit card. All
the prices include VAT. The shops
close earlier on Saturdays and
most of them are closed on
Sundays. The biggest department
stores and supermarkets are open
until late evening on weekdays.
Before Christmas and in summer,
most of them are open on
Sundays, too. Small shops in some
service stations, such as ABC, may
be open around the clock. Kiosks,
e.g. R-kiosks, are open until late
evening.
Mobile telephone and public
phones
Have you paid attention to the
on everydaylife
Post office
Shopping
Tips
a couple
of euros
for the
transaction.
There are
several
cash
dispensers
in the city
area with
the signs
Otto and
Solo on
them (brief translations “take
money out” and “check account”).
Instructions in the English
language are usually available.
fact that mobile phones keep
ringing around you? Finland has
per capita more mobile phones
45
than any other country. Among
other things, the world-famous
Nokia cellular phones are made in
Finland. A young person’s first
phone is often a mobile one
because they are cheaper to buy
than ordinary phones and
nowadays many families have only
mobile phones. For a student, the
mobile phone is an everyday utility
item such as the schoolbag or the
coffee maker. The mobile phone is
used for communication and
sending messages in the same way
as email. The Finns carry their
mobile phones with them almost
everywhere. There are some public
phones available, though. The
telephones are operated with
phone cards and seldom with
coins. You can buy phone cards at
the post office and at R-kiosks.
Telephone calls
In the phonebook, you can find a
list of the countries where you
can call from Finland. The
telephone numbers and the prices
of calls can be found there, too.
The companies’ rates vary
according to the time and the
date of the call and the country
you are telephoning to. For
example, R-kiosks sell prepaid
subscriber connections for mobile
phones, called Sonera Easy, Nopsa
or DNA prepaid. Prices vary a lot
due to hard competition between
the operators.
46
Emergency phone numbers in
Finland
The general emergency number is
112 (Fire department, ambulance,
SOS). The number of the police is
10022.
Queuing and tipping
You must stand in a line to get
your turn when withdrawing cash
at a cash dispenser, buying cinema
tickets, or paying at a check-out.
In banks, at the post office and in
pharmacies you often must pick
up a queuing number. Tipping
doesn’t belong to the Finnish
culture. A taxi driver doesn’t
expect any tip, neither does a
barber or hairdresser. You don’t
have to leave a tip in restaurants
either, unless you want to.
Travelling in Finland
The nearest airports to the centre
of Seinäjoki are located in
Rengonharju (10 km from Seinäjoki City Centre) and Vaasa (70 km
from Seinäjoki).
International students come to
Seinäjoki and the surroundings
mainly by train or by their own
car. Remember that Finland has
right-hand traffic with overtaking
on the left. It is compulsory to
wear seatbelts in cars. The age
limit to get a driver’s license is 18
in Finland. The headlights of cars
and other motor vehicles must be
Welcome to SEDU
Tips
Newspapers, TV and Radio
The main Finnish newspaper
Helsingin Sanomat, is read
everywhere in Finland and the
local newspapers in South
Ostrobothnia are called Ilkka and
Pohjalainen. The best selections of
foreign newspapers can be found
at R-kiosks and at Lehtipiste in
department stores. The cheapest
way to read newspapers and
magazines is in libraries. In
Finland, there are four national TV
channels and several cable television channels. The TV programmes
are in Finnish or in the original
language, with Finnish subtitles.
The Swedish-speaking channel FST
provides programmes in Swedish,
the other official language of
Finland. The national broadcasting
company YLE provides news in
several languages. In addition to
national radio channels, there are
many local radio channels. In
Finland, television sets must be
licensed by law. You can get the
application form for a TV licence
at the post office.
for everydaylife
switched on at all times. Drunken
driving is a criminal offence; so if
you drink, you don’t drive. While
driving, use a mobile phone only if
it’s hands-free.
Internet connections
Internet connections are available
in all the SEDU schools, in public
libraries, in some student houses
and in Internet cafés in city
centres.
47
Sports as a hobby
In Finland, we have some
specialities in sports, for
example, the Nordic
Walking. It is walking
with poles and it is a
more efficient way
to walk. Energy
consumption
increases
when
using
48
poles by an average of 20%
compared to ordinary walking. It
realises muscle tension and pain
in the neck and shoulder religion.
So if you see somebody walking
with poles, she/he hasn’t
forgotten the skis, it is just called
Nordic Walking!
Finnish Baseball, called “pesäpallo”, is a very popular team game,
especially in South Ostrobothnia.
Pesäpallo shares many similarities
with baseball. There are three
bases and a home plate; each
team has nine players; a game has
nine innings; the batter gets three
strikes; runs are scored in basically
the same way—more or less; an
inning ends
when three
players have
been put out;
and the
equipment
includes a
protective
headgear for
the batter
and base
runners,
fielding gloves,
and bats.
Perhaps the
biggest
differences that
distinguish
pesäpallo from
baseball are the
Welcome to SEDU
Marilyn, in the centre of Seinäjoki,
is a cinema with three stages. You
can buy tickets one hour before
the beginning of shows. The
programmes are announced in the
newspaper every Friday. You can
also see the programmes on the
Internet. In Kauhava, there is a
cinema called Y-kino, in Jurva
there is one called Tarina and in
Kauhajoki, Bio Marlon,
respectively. The films are
presented in the original
language, with Finnish subtitles.
Finnish art is world-famous for its
modernity and for the
masterpieces of the Romantic
period. You can enjoy visual arts
at Seinäjoki Art Gallery, which
organizes changing exhibitions.
There is also a museum of Finnish
nature and animals. For more
details, see the website of the city
of Seinäjoki.
Churches
There are several churches in
Seinäjoki and surroundings:
churches for Evangelical
Lutherans, Pentecostalists,
Jehovah Witnesses, etc. Ask for
more information at your Sedu
school. The Lutheran church of
Seinäjoki, ‘The Cross of Plains’,
designed by Alvar Aalto, is
situated in the centre of Seinäjoki.
for everydaylife
Cinema
Art exhibitions
Tips
vertical pitching, the far boundary,
and a catch only “wounding” a
player running from base to base
(provided he/she reaches the base
before the ball).
If you are in Finland in wintertime,
you may wonder what in the
world people are doing on the lake
– sitting on a stool for several
hours. They are jigging! The jigger
drills a hole in the ice, through
which he/she can fish. Various
jigging contests are organized all
over Finland. The point is to find
out who catches the biggest and
heaviest fish.
At the municipal sports office, you
can also ask about people taking
an interest in your sport. There
you can find information about
different sports facilities and the
contacts of the local athletic
clubs. (Look at the link list, Useful
web pages)
Concerts
The concerts of Seinäjoki Orchestra are most often held in Seinäjoki-sali, in Kampustalo, located in
the area of Marttilan Kortteeri.
There is also a music institute in
the same building. If you play an
instrument, you can ask there
about private lessons and even
about the possibility of rehearsing
with an orchestra. Ask more
information at your Sedu school.
49
Courses at the Civic College
Every municipality has its own
civic college. Seinäjoki Civic
College is an educational institution providing free-time courses for
those whose hobby is studying. Its
office is situated at Vapaudentie
83. For foreign students in
particular the College offers the
course called “Suomen alkeet ja
kertaus/Finnish: elements and
revision”. It is suitable for those
who are starting to learn Finnish
or those who wish to brush up
their knowledge. The course lasts
from early September till midApril. (For more details, consult
the prospectus of Seinäjoki Civic
College, which comes out in
August and is distributed to each
home by post.)
Library services
The library and information
services of Sedu are provided by
the libraries of the different Sedu
schools and Seinäjoki Polytechnic
Library, located in the Campus
Building. They offer library and
information services to the staff
and students of Seinäjoki
Polytechnic and of other
educational institutions.
The libraries provide literature and
magazines that support the
studies and the thesis process.
Course literature is lent at the
Polytechnic Library and at the
school libraries only. The loan
50
period for course literature is two
weeks. Any required material
unavailable in Seinäjoki can be
borrowed from other libraries.
Inter-library loans can be made at
the Polytechnic Library.
At the Sedu schools, independent
information research is
encouraged. The staff of Seinäjoki
Polytechnic Library participate in
the teaching of information
gathering skills and provide user
training in the libraries. National
and international CD databases
and access to the Internet are
provided for the students. The
objective is to teach the students
how to use different databases
and all the library and information
services in the region.
The Polytechnic library collections
consist of non-fiction and
research literature, textbooks,
periodicals and electronic
material. The libraries in the
different faculties specialise in the
subjects taught in them. The
collections of Seinäjoki
Polytechnic Library can be
browsed through using the Plari
database. http://plari.amkit.fi/
When borrowing books, you need
a Plari library card, available in
any of the Seinäjoki Polytechnic
libraries. You will need a form of
identification when applying. The
card is free, personal and you are
responsible for all the materials
borrowed on your card. When
Welcome to SEDU
Tips
obtaining the card, you become
responsible for obeying the
library rules.
Contact information, opening
hours and other information
about library services can be
found on the Internet http://
www.seamk.fi/kirjasto/englanti/
etusivu.htm
Public libraries provide library
and information services free of
charge for all customers. Every
town and municipality has its
own public library. The
collections in these libraries
consist of fiction, non-fiction,
children’s books, music, movies
and electronic materials.
Libraries have their own library
cards which are free and personal.
They also have their own
collection databases on the
Internet. Most of the public
libraries are open six days a week
throughout the year. For Seinäjoki
City Library, see http://
www.seinajoki.fi/Kirjasto/
english.htm
Restaurants, pubs, cafés and
discos
There are various cafés, pizzerias
and restaurants in Seinäjoki as
well as in other municipalities,
where you can have a good time,
wine and dine. Cafés normally
stay open from 10 a.m. till 6 p.m.
Pubs and restaurants stay open till
2 a.m., although some restaurants
close as early as 10 p.m. At discos
and nightclubs you can have fun
until 4 a.m. Do not be surprised if
the bouncer asks you to show him
your identification. Restaurants
serving alcoholic drinks have age
limits. The general age limit is 18
years, but a restaurant can set a
specific, higher age limit on its
own initiative. If they sell beer,
cider, long drink and wine, they
have the so-called B rights. If a
restaurant has the A rights, it can
sell all kinds of alcoholic
beverages.
for everydaylife
Public libraries
51
National Holidays
N
ew
Year is
celebrated
everywhere in
Finland in a
carnival spirit.
On New Year’s
Eve people
usually gather
in the city
centres, where
the turn of the
year is
solemnized
with speeches
and fireworks.
Students
celebrate New
Year in general
in bars and
discos, so
you’d better be prepared for some
queuing.
Easter
Good Friday, in the Holy Week, is a
day off. The Holy Week ends with
two holidays so that Monday is
Easter Monday. Many people
travel to Lapland to ski down hill
on sunny slopes. There are
traditional dishes for Easter. One
Finnish specialty is mämmi. It is
52
brown, sweet
and thick
malt pudding,
which is
eaten with
sugar and
cream. At
Easter, people
wait for the
spring and
therefore you
may see
green grass
(rye-grass)
grown on
small plates
by children
on window
sills.
Here in
Ostrobothnia,
small Easter witches (“trulli”) are
an essential part of the local
Easter traditions. They go from
door to door wishing people good
luck with willow twigs. Remember
to reward a “trulli” with sweets. In
addition, on Easter Saturday,
bonfires are lit all over the plains.
Originally, this was done in order
to drive evil spirits away. Easter
also has a strong religious
atmosphere.
Welcome to SEDU
The First of May
The First of May is an important
day among students. It is difficult
for you to avoid seeing the
festivities of the First of May
because it is celebrated in the
whole country at the same time
and with a lot of hilarity. In fact,
it is the only “real” carnival in
Finland. People go out wearing
white student caps and students
put on the overalls of their units.
Moreover, noisy whistles, balloons
and baubles belong to the First of
Midsummer is celebrated around
20 and 24 June, the date always
being a weekend. The Friday in the
Midsummer Week is Midsummer
Eve and therefore a day off. At
Midsummer, especially in the
north, the sun descends near the
horizon, but does not set. For this
reason, the nights are light as
days. Midsummer is therefore
called the “Holiday of the
Nightless Night”. People celebrate
Midsummer at their summer
cottages barbecuing and going to
the sauna. High bonfires, called
’juhannuskokko’, are lit on lakes.
People stay awake the whole night
from Friday evening till Saturday
morning enjoying the light of the
night. They go inside only in case
of rain. Youngsters also celebrate
Midsummer at the big rock
festivals.
Independence Day
for everydaylife - National Holidays
Midsummer
Tips
May. A traditional non-alcoholic
beverage drunk on the First of
May is mead (“sima”), which is
served cool. “Tippa-leipä” (a kind
of fritter) is a traditional, sweet
May Day snack.
The Finnish Independence Day is
celebrated on 6 December. It is a
national holiday and a day off. In
the evening, two candles are lit in
Finnish homes and placed in the
53
window. People also watch TV to
see the traditional Independence
Day Reception at the Presidential
Palace and a ball which the
national elite has been invited to
attend.
Christmas
Christmas is celebrated among the
family, as in other Christian
countries. Christmas Eve, 24
December, is a day off, like
Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Christmas dishes, Christmas sauna
and church and presents can be
mentioned as examples of typical
Finnish Christmas traditions.
Traditional dishes are rice
pudding, ham,
different
casseroles,
salad
and a beet-based salad. On
Christmas Eve night, after sauna,
Santa Claus arrives and gives
presents to children (and maybe
to adults as well…). On Christmas
Eve, families usually take candles
to the graves of their relatives.
The decorated Christmas tree is a
real spruce brought from forest.
Santa Claus lives on the Korvatunturi mountain in the Finnish
Lapland and sets off with a
reindeer called Petteri to visit
families. On Christmas Day (25
December), many families go to a
Christmas service. The service
starts as early as 7 in the morning.
On Boxing Day and Twelfth Day/
Epiphany, people visit their
relatives and/or participate in
outdoor exercise.
Ascension Day
Ascension Day (40 days from
Easter) is a public holiday in
Finland
54
Welcome to SEDU
Accomodation
The School of Agriculture and
Forestry in Ilmajoki provides its
own student accommodation in
the vicinity of the school. The
apartments consist of four double
rooms with a shared kitchen and
bathroom. The facilities of the
institution are at students’
disposal. These include a student
restaurant, launderette, sports
hall, fitness centre and sauna. The
School of Agriculture and Forestry
in Tuomarniemi Ähtäri also offers
reasonably priced student
accommodation.
At the TAIKU School of Crafts,
Design and Culture, in Jurva, highstandard student housing is
available both in the school area
and in the centre of the village. In
Ilmajoki, the school offers
accommodation nearby.
In Kauhajoki, the student hall of
residence is located beside the
School of Hospitality. Each flat
has 4 double rooms, a shared
living room, and toilet and
bathroom facilities. A laundrette
and a sauna are also available.
Meals
The Finnish school lunch system
has a long tradition and is free of
charge for students in basic
education as well as for those
studying in upper secondary and
vocational schools. Schools
provide diversified and nutritious
meals, also for those with special
diets. Each institute has a student
canteen with lunch and can offer
lunch at subsidised student prices
also to visiting guests and
students. The student apartments
are equipped with kitchens, where
meals can be prepared.
accommodation and meals
The Marttilan Kortteeri
organisation offers housing
services to students in Seinäjoki
and can also assist international
students with their housing
arrangements. The student
apartments are conveniently
located and well equipped. The
new students are informed of the
application procedure in
connection with student
admission. Notice that you have
to pay the rental fee for the entire
month even if you stay less than
whole month. For further
information please turn to the
website of Marttilan Kortteeri, the
Study Offices or the Marttilan
Kortteeri office.
www.marttilankortteeri.fi
Facts
Accommodation and meals
55
Health care and insurance
E
ach of the Sedu schools has a
School Nurse on duty on
certain days of the week. Your
tutor will inform you of the
consulting hours and show you
the surgery. To see a physician,
you must make an appointment by
phone. The municipal health
centre is on duty also in the
evenings and at weekends. As an
EU citizen, you are entitled to the
services provided by the health
centre, in the same way as any
Finnish citizen. If you come from
an EU/ETA country or from
Switzerland, you should bring a
European Health Insurance Card
with you. Students from the
Nordic countries who will stay
over 6 months have to apply for
56
the Inter-Nordic Migration Form.
Students from other countries
should consult embassies or
consulates about this matter.
Private Doctor
There are various private clinics in
Seinäjoki and in other towns and
municipalities. It costs about 50
euros to consult a private doctor.
Check the coverage of your
insurance! In the phone book, the
private clinics are listed under the
title ‘lääkäreitä’.
Dentist
In Finland, dental care is free for
Welcome to SEDU
Facts
Pharmacies
Finnish pharmacies ‘Apteekki’ have
an excellent range of medicines
and other medical products sold
without prescription. Without
prescription you can buy e.g. mild
painkillers, skin care products, flu
medicines and get help with many
other minor disorders. However, to
get a prescription, you must
always make an appointment to
see a doctor!
Please ask the School Nurse of
your own school for more
information about health care
matters.
Helth care and Insurances
students under 18 and for others
it is less costly at municipal dental
clinics than at private ones. You
will find a list of dentists in the
phone book under the title
‘hammaslääkäreitä’. You can also
consult the public health nurse at
your school and ask about dental
care services for foreign students.
57
Permits and Formalities
Passport
Foreigners, except citizens of the
Nordic and the EU countries, need
a valid passport. Citizens of the
Nordic and the EU countries need
a valid ID card when arriving in
Finland. Citizens of the Nordic
countries may arrive, reside, study
and work in Finland without
limitations. They do not need
visas, nor residence or work
permits.
Visa
Students from the EU countries
and the Nordic countries, as well
as from a number of other
countries do not need a visa to
enter Finland.
Other international students must
apply for a visa at the Finnish
embassy or consulate in their
country of permanent residence. A
visa is required if the student has
to participate in an entrance exam
in Finland prior to being accepted
by the educational institution and
if he or she is a citizen of a
58
country that has not signed an
agreement on the abolition
of visa with Finland. Since the
visa allows only a short stay, the
student must usually return to his
or her home country after the
entrance examination in order to
apply for the actual residence
permit.
Residence Permit
A residence permit is needed if the
stay exceeds three months.
Citizens of the Nordic countries do
not need a residence permit.
A residence permit may be
granted for study purposes at a
post-comprehensive-school
educational institute. Such
institutes are mainly universities
and vocational colleges.
EU citizens and equivalent persons
do not need a residence permit,
but they must register at the local
police office in Finland for their
right to reside in Finland if their
Welcome to SEDU
Facts
month at his or her disposal. In
some cases, the applicant can
show that the funds are available
for transfer from his or her home
country to Finland by means of a
reliable banking connection. If the
educational institution offers free
tuition, accommodation and
meals, the amount required can be
reduced. The funding of a student
participating in an exchange
programme between Finnish and a
foreign university may be
arranged through the exchange
programme. The residence permit
is usually granted for one year at
a time. An extension of the permit
requires that the student is still
registered at the educational
institution, is a full-time student
and has completed the required
courses in the institution’s study
programme. If the student has
poor study performance, an
extension of the residence permit
may be denied. The application for
an extension of the residence
permit is submitted to the local
police in Finland.
Permits and Formalities
stay lasts for longer than three
months. The student may provide
proof of funding in any way he or
she chooses to. Students from the
Nordic countries do not need to
provide proof of funding. The right
to reside in Finland is valid until
further notice. Similar regulations
on the right of free movement
that apply to citizens of the EU
Member States also apply to those
of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway
and Switzerland. Hence, the
citizens of these States are
equated with EU citizens.
Students from other countries can
apply for their residence permits
at the Finnish diplomatic mission
in their home countries. The
Finnish government does not
usually fund the stay of foreign
students in Finland. Hence, the
applicant must show that his or
her income is secured either with
a scholarship, a grant or other
funds with which the student can
support him- or herself during the
academic year. The applicant must
have a minimum of EUR 500 per
59
59
Work Permit
An EU citizen and an equivalent
person can work while studying in
Finland and does not need to
acquire a special work permit to
do so.
A student from other countries
may work within certain limits
with a residence permit granted
for study purposes if the work is
on-the-job learning/practical
training included in the vocational
diploma or if the amount of parttime work does not exceed 20
hours a week. Full-time
employment may be undertaken
during holidays, when the
educational institution does not
arrange teaching as such; in
practice, this is usually during
summer and Christmas vacations.
Wages and salaries earned for
part-time work during the
academic year may, on the
discretion of the authorities,
reduce the amount of money that
the student is required to possess
to be able to support him- or
herself.
When applying for the first
residence permit, a promised
employment or a signed contract
of employment cannot reduce the
required amount of available
funds.
60
Welcome to SEDU
Minä I
Sinä You
Hän He/She
Me We
Te You
He They
Nainen Woman
Mies Man
Tyttö Girl
Poika Boy
Etunimi First name
Sukunimi Last name
Apua Help
Apteekki Pharmacy
Hyvä Good
Paha Bad
Vedä Pull
Työnnä Bush
Avoinna Open
Suljettu Closed
Hinta Price
Kauppa Shop
Lippu Ticket
Kirjasto Library
Rautatieasema Railway station
Ravintola Restaurant
Vocabulary
Finnish – English
Tervetuloa Welcome
Kiitos Thank you
Ole hyvä You’re welcome
Hei/Moi/Terve Hello
Hyvää huomenta Good morning
Hyvää päivää Good afternoon
Hyvää iltaa Good evening
Nähdään See you
Hauska tutustua Nice to meet you
Mitä kuuluu? How are you?
Kiitos, hyvää I’m fine, thank you
Minun nimeni on... My name is…
Mikä sinun nimesi on? What is your name?
En osaa puhua suomea. I can’t speak Finnish.
Puhutko englantia? Do you speak English?
Minä ymmärrän. I understand.
Minä en ymmärrä. I don’t understand.
Anteeksi I’m sorry/Excuse me
Kyllä/Joo Yes
Ei No
Facts
Vocabulary
Maanantai Monday
Tiistai Tuesday
Keskiviikko Wednesday
Torstai Thursday
Perjantai Friday
Lauantai Saturday
Sunnuntai Sunday
1 yksi
2 kaksi
3 kolme
4 neljä
5 viisi
6 kuusi
7 seitsemän
8 kahdeksan
9 yhdeksän
10 kymmenen
20 kaksikymmentä
30 kolmekymmentä
100 sata
200 kaksisataa
1000 tuhat
61
Production Team
Text
Reija Lepola
Helinä Maijala
Helli Kitinoja
Erja Heikkilä
Kari Keskitalo
Pirkko Kivinen
Raija Peltokangas
Maija-Kaisa Latvala
Language
Ilpo Kempas
Päivö Laine
Design and layout
Karri Harju
Photographs and graphics
Karri Harju
Juha Katila
Petri Koivulahti
Jenni Harju
Marttilankortteeri
Sedu schools
Cities: Seinäjoki, Ilmajoki, Kauhajoki, Jurva, Ähtäri
62